No one wants to see their pet injured and bleeding. Bleeding in any of your pets will understandably worry and confuse you, regardless of where the bleeding comes from.
This article will give you everything you need to know if your turtle is bleeding from the bottom of its shell.
Table of Contents
Turtle bleeding from the bottom of shell:
The shell is not separate from the turtle, and if the shell breaks then you may notice that the turtle starts to bleed.
But, the shell isn’t made out of flesh, it is made out of keratin, the same material that our nails are made out of.
So, how do these shells bleed? Here is how:
The structure of the shell:
While the outside of the shell may look lifeless this isn’t actually the case. A turtle’s shell is made out of scutes, these scutes are like modified scales that have blood vessels and nerve endings.
These nerve endings allow the animal to feel, and, if injured, they allow the animal to bleed.
So, if your pet becomes injured at the shell, or at the bottom of the shell, then it can bleed.
What to do:
Examine the injury:
Gently put your pet on a soft surface to examine the injury and stop the bleeding. Be calm as you do this as freaking out can cause stress on your pet.
Clean the area:
The area is likely bleeding and likely has dirt or debris on it from the injury, you can clean the area using a mild saline solution or lukewarm water and use a clean and sterile gauze to stem the flow of blood.
Treatment for the cracks:
Even if you do get the bleeding to stop it is still recommended that you take the animal to the vet because cracks and breaks in the shell are very prone to infection and would need medicine to keep from becoming infected.
It is advised that you take the reptile to the vet as soon as you can but this may not be possible, so, you may have to wait a while.
Keeping your turtle isolated until you can get it to the vet is recommended.
Before the vet:
Keeping your pet isolated in a small container will minimize damage to the shell. The animal, if left to roam around as it pleases, would likely further injure itself
To keep injury at a minimum it is recommended that you put it in a small box that is long enough for the animal to not climb out of, these reptiles can climb quite well so you’d need quite a tall box.
You can alternatively use a shorter box but one that has a lid or you can use a pet carrier to contain your pet. You can also transport your pet to the vet in this container.
Keep the animal dry:
While turtles love the water, keeping them dry while their shell is injured is recommended.
If left to swim in water the wound may become infected with bacteria and germs and this would make the situation worse
These animals can be kept out of water for several hours if needed
If you enjoyed this article then you may also be interested in other turtle/tortoise related articles. Here are some articles that you may be interested in: Why Is My Turtle Restless While Sleeping, Why Do Turtles Put Their Feet Up, Why Is My Turtle Restless While Sleeping, My Tortoise Is Not Responding, Why Is My Tortoise Stiff, Why Is My Turtle Swimming Upside Down, Hit My Turtle With A Lawn Mower, What Happens When You Drop A Turtle On Its Back?, Can Turtles Survive A Fall?,